


no excuses

by nappeuns



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Drinking, Happy Ending, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Minor Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Wong Kun Hang | Hendery, Minor Lee Taeyong/Nakamoto Yuta, Online Dating, Tsundere Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, so glad that's a tag lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-10 14:16:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19907077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nappeuns/pseuds/nappeuns
Summary: Cute Bartender quirked an eyebrow, turning slightly to set the bottle of gin on the back of the bar. “Alright then,” he said, leaning against the bars on his elbows. Oh god, he’s really cute, Doyoung thought to himself, dropping his hands off the bar top to rest them on his knees before he did something stupid with them. Stay focused, Doyoung, don’t get distracted. “Go ahead, ask away.”Doyoung took a deep breath, trying not to think too hard about how good looking this guy was. “Do you know,” he began earnestly, “where I can learn to speak Chinese?”





	no excuses

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to dojae: romantic comedy edition
> 
> to the lovely prompter, thank you so much for sending in this prompt! i'm so glad i got the opportunity to write such a fun fic. i love dojae but i don't get to write them nearly enough so i'm so grateful for this opportunity! this kind of got away from me and it didn't turn out entirely how i thought it would, but i hope you all enjoy it nonetheless.
> 
> pls note that while there is quite a bit of drinking in this (bc of the setting at a bar), no one does anything nsfw at any point! also, no one rly has any unhealthy drinking habits or dependencies, so i don't think there's anything to warn about other than the fact that doyoung gets drunk!
> 
> with that said, please enjoy~

Doyoung knocked back another shot, placing the glass down with a clatter as he cringed. He had no clue what he had just drank, even though he’d ordered it himself, but it tasted awful, like hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.  _ Vodka? _ he thought to himself, looking down his glass as he swirled around the remaining liquid.  _ Gin? _

He didn’t care, not really. He was a bit too stressed to care, after the night he’d just had. Doyoung had been on a date-- someone from some online app that Ten had helped sign him up for. Doyoung had even asked him out himself, after thoroughly looking through the guy’s profile to decide if he was nice, hiding behind his phone screen as he suggested “8pm this friday?” And the guy was nice, to Doyoung’s credit. Kun was good. Kun was  _ great _ . He was tall, but not awkwardly so, with a handsome face and a sweet personality. He was charismatic, but not annoying, and he paid for Doyoung’s dinner and wine even if it was just on the edge of unreasonably expensive. He’d kissed Doyoung’s cheek when he said goodbye, a hand respectfully on Doyoung’s back when he promised to see Doyoung again.

So yeah, it was a good date, but there was something that was bothering Doyoung. Which led him here, to this bar in Sinchon, a couple cocktails and a few shots deep in whatever the bartender was pouring him.

Doyoung lifted his glass, taking a sniff of the liquid inside. Okay, so maybe he did care a bit. He didn’t before, but now he was worried that the cute bartender had indeed poured him a shot of straight rubbing alcohol. In that case, then Doyoung would have to fight him. But Doyoung didn’t think the bartender would do that. He seemed very unthreatening, with his big brown eyes and pale skin and the dimpled smile that he flashed every time he poured Doyoung a drink. He was handsome, but not obnoxiously so, Doyoung thought. Seemed like the type of guy who would help out a stranger just because he thought it was the right thing to do. 

The thought made Doyoung perk up, sitting up straight on his barstool. Well, maybe this bartender could help out Doyoung then. 

Doyoung caught his attention with a wave, and the bartender gave him a nod, already grabbing a tall, clear bottle. When he stopped in front of Doyoung, he could see that the bottle had a man in a red coat along it, along with the English word “BEEFEATER” in big red letters on it. 

_ Ah _ , Doyoung thought, just now realizing what he’d been drinking for half the night.  _ It was gin _ . No wonder Doyoung thought it tasted bad. 

“Another shot already?” The cute bartender asked. He was smiling at Doyoung again, dimpled, charming. The veins in his forearm showed when he adjusted his grip on the bottle. He had a nametag on, but Doyoung didn’t bother to read it. He was just Cute Bartender for now. “I thought I had just poured you one.”

Doyoung shook his head, holding up a hand. “No shot,” he told the bartender. Considering the room was tilting ever so slightly even once he’d stopped shaking his head, he should probably stop with the shots for the night. He still needed to get home. “I have a question for you.”

Cute Bartender quirked an eyebrow, turning slightly to set the bottle of gin on the back of the bar. “Alright then,” he said, leaning against the bars on his elbows.  _ Oh god, he’s really cute _ , Doyoung thought to himself, dropping his hands off the bar top to rest them on his knees before he did something stupid with them.  _ Stay focused, Doyoung, don’t get distracted. _ “Go ahead, ask away.”

Doyoung took a deep breath, trying not to think too hard about how good looking this guy was. “Do you know,” he began earnestly, “where I can learn to speak Chinese?”

Cute Bartender seemed to hesitate for a minute, before the corners of his lips quirked up a bit.  _ Oh fuck, now he’s laughing at me _ , Doyoung thought despairingly. Maybe he was wrong about Cute Bartender being helpful. “Where you can learn,” the bartender echoed amusedly, “to speak  _ Chinese _ ?”

“Okay, let me explain,” Doyoung said hurriedly, placing his hands flat on the bar top. The bartender didn’t move away, just tilted his head as he regarded Doyoung. “I went on a date tonight. With a Chinese guy.”

Cute Bartender was openly grinning now as he listened to Doyoung talk. That wasn’t the usual reaction Doyoung got when drunkenly admitting he was into guys, but he supposed it was better than the alternative. “Oh, good for you,” the bartender said. He sounded genuine, but the way he was grinning made Doyoung think he was making fun of him  _ just _ a bit. “What’s he like?”

“Well, he’s Chinese,” Doyoung said bluntly. “And nice. And handsome. And his Korean is good, but that’s the problem of it all, you see.”

“What’s the problem with that?” Cute Bartender tipped his head as he asked. His hair was dyed, a light, mousy brown, most of it gelled back nicely except for a few bangs that brushed over his forehead whenever he moved. For someone so cute, he could be a bit dumb. 

“The problem is that  _ I  _ don’t know  _ Chinese _ ,” Doyoung enunciated, leaning forward over the bar slightly. Maybe the cute bartender couldn’t hear him, and that’s why he couldn’t understand? “Like… Listen.” Was it just Doyoung’s hearing, or did his voice sound slurry? “If he’s Chinese, and he can learn Korean well enough to go on a date with me, then I should learn Mandarin too, so it’s fair. You know?”

Cute Bartender nodded, leaning back off the bar and standing up straight. “Very benevolent of you,” he mused, “but if he’s been living in Korea, it would make sense that he knew Korean, right?”

Doyoung paused at that. He hadn’t thought of it, but yeah, what Cute Bartender said made sense. “But what if I have to meet his parents?” Doyoung said suddenly, drumming his hands on the bar top. “They won’t know Korean right? So that means I need to know Chinese.”

This time, Cute Bartender actually let out a laugh. Doyoung could feel himself scowling already. “Isn’t that a little far in the future?” the bartender asked goodnaturedly. “You’ve got a ways to go until you get there.”

“Well excuse me for wanting to be prepared,” Doyoung said, crossing his arms. “Just answer the question.” He spotted the time on his watch, and tried not to cringe. Jeez, nearly 2AM already? His roommate was going to kill him for getting home so late. “And my tab, while you’re at it,” he added.

The cute bartender laughed again as he nodded, heading over to the till to ring up Doyoung’s bill. Doyoung couldn’t help but take a peek at the bartender’s body while his back was turned, leaning forward to take a better look as he got out his wallet.  _ Huh _ , he thought, raising an eyebrow.  _ Cute Bartender’s got a nice ass _ .

Doyoung looked away as the bartender headed back over, fiddling with his phone to order a ride. “You can pay cash or card,” the bartender said, and when Doyoung looked up, the bartender was leaning over the bar, a smile on his face, “and my roommate is Chinese, so he might be able to help. If you don’t find anything better, give me a call and I can ask him.”

Doyoung looked down at the receipt. Sure enough, when he flipped it over, a number was scrawled with the back, along with a name-- ‘Jaehyun’.

Doyoung rolled his eyes. “Was this all a ploy to give me your number?” he huffed, pulling enough cash out of his wallet to cover his drinks and a pretty generous tip.

“Hey, you’re the one who asked in the first place!” The cute bartender-- Jaehyun-- laughed, holding his hands up defensively. “Besides, you seem pretty set on this guy. I’m just trying to help.”

Doyoung narrowed his eyes as he slid off the stool. Okay, the ground was wobbling. Definitely time to go home. “Fine,” Doyoung said, taking the receipt and shoving it into his pocket. “Fine, since you’re  _ just _ trying to help. I’ll call you, maybe.”

Jaehyun grinned, his eyes scrunching up. Doyoung felt his heart flip, but he deliberately stomped it down. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said, and Doyoung could tell he wasn’t making fun of him this time-- he was honest. “I’ll see you around, then..?”

“Doyoung,” Doyoung supplied. As much as he tried to fight it, he felt the side of his mouth quirk up as he walked towards the door. “Bye, Jaehyun.”

* * *

“So what I’m hearing is,” Taeyong said, looking from where he was making breakfast in the kitchen to where Doyoung was laying face down on the couch, “you liked hanging out with Hot Bartender more than you liked hanging out with Kun?”

“That is  _ not _ what I said,” Doyoung snipped defensively, lifting his head to glare at Taeyong. “And it’s Cute Bartender, not Hot Bartender.”

“It’s an excuse, is what it is,” Taeyong said, throwing Doyoung a sidelong glance as he poured a cup of coffee, and moved out of the kitchen to set it down on the table in front of the couch. “Just admit you’re not into Kun and move on.”

“But I should be into Kun,” Doyoung whined petulantly. “He’s sweet, and kind, and handsome, but he’s just…”

“Too nice to handle you?” Taeyong finished helpfully as he moved back to the kitchen. “You do need a firm hand sometimes.”

“You know, being my roommate doesn’t give you permission to psychoanalyze me,” Doyoung grumbled, sitting up slowly and grabbing the cup of coffee. He took a long sip, sighing pleasedly at the flavour. “Nor does being my best friend. Actually, scratch that. I’m revoking your best friend privileges.”

Taeyong sighed, the same long-suffering sigh he’d let out at least three times since Doyoung began telling him this story. “I’m just saying,” Taeyong said, pouring his own mug of coffee as he stirred something in a pan on the stove. “If you don’t think it’s gonna work out, it’s better to admit that from the get go than to force it. You’ll just end up making you both unhappy.”

“Says the guy who’s been dating the same guy for the past two and a half years and never had a fight,” Doyoung grumbled, curling into the couch. “I don’t know why you and Yuta don’t move in together already. It’s been long enough.”

“We will if Ten moves in with his new boyfriend,” Taeyong said. “But that’s besides the point. Just message Kun, say you aren’t that into him, and go on another date with someone else. I’m sure Kun isn’t the only guy on that app who’s interested in you.” He took the pan off the stove, scraping the eggs onto two plates. “Food’s ready, by the way.”

Doyoung groaned, dragging himself off the couch and over to his and Taeyong’s small dining table. “I hate when you’re right,” he muttered, pouting at Taeyong as he set the plates down on the table. 

“You only hate it because I’m better than you at it,” Taeyong said with a smile, moving back into the kitchen. “Want some toast?”

* * *

It wasn’t until two days later while doing laundry that Doyoung realized he still had the receipt with Jaehyun’s number on it, crumpled in the pocket of the jeans he wore that night. 

He considered throwing it out. He really,  _ really _ did. But it would be rude to not answer, not when Jaehyun had gone out of his way to help Doyoung through his drunken crisis, even if it was a thinly veiled excuse to give Doyoung his number. So he tucks it into the pocket of his current jeans, and once his laundry was in the wash (because as cute as Jaehyun was, he wasn’t worth postponing his laundry for) he sat down and pulled out his phone and the number.

**to: cute bartender (jaehyun)**

hi jaehyun, it’s doyoung

you probably remember me as the drunk guy from the bar who asked if you knew anyone who could help me learn chinese

i’m here to sadly inform you that i no longer require chinese instruction

but thank you for your offer anyways, drunk me found it very sweet

Doyoung put down his phone, not really expecting an answer anytime soon, but not even two minutes later, his phone vibrated. Without thinking, he checked it immediately, only wincing when he realized that he’d left his read receipts on. Shit.

**from: cute bartender (jaehyun)**

Haha, it’s alright. I was guessing you had figured things out yourself. I’m guessing things didn’t work out with that guy?

Doyoung groaned, tipping his head back. So this guy remembered not just who Doyoung was, but the details of his life, huh? What a nightmare. Still, albeit begrudgingly, Doyoung typed out a reply.

**to: cute bartender (jaehyun)**

i can’t decide if i’m flattered or embarrassed that you remembered that

but yeah, didn’t work out. it’s fine

**from: cute bartender (jaehyun)**

A little bit of both is healthy. ;) And don’t worry too much about it, it happens! There’s always plenty of fish in the sea. The offer still stands for the Chinese lessons, though. And if you need any other advice or help, you know what bar to find me at. :)

Doyoung looked at the winky face for a few moments, before swiping away the notification with a huff. Okay, no. He did not need some stupidly cute bartender with his stupid, boring style of texting in his life right now. What he needed was another date.

He opened the app, scrolling through quickly to survey the guys he’d been talking to. There were plenty that he had matched with, sure, but the amount of people he’d actually found worth talking to was considerably slimmer. Thankfully, Doyoung, in his usual Type A fashion, kept a running list on his phone of those matches he had approved. So he picked the first one from the top of the list, 

scrolling to his chat in the app, and typed out a quick message.

**to: jungwoo**

hey, are you interested in getting dinner this friday night?

* * *

It’s not that Jungwoo was a bad guy. On the contrary, actually— Jungwoo was a great guy. He was tall, he was broad, with a cute face and a cute personality. But that was the problem this time— Jungwoo was too cute. He was a bit younger than Doyoung, which probably didn’t help either, but there was just… Something about him. Something about the way he sat, smiled, batted his eyelashes at Doyoung as they talked. It was clear to Doyoung by the end of the date; this Jungwoo guy wasn’t really his type.

Apparently Jungwoo felt it too, as at the end of the date, Doyoung shuffling around outside the restaurant with his hands in his pockets and Jungwoo leaning against a wall, he let out a sigh. “You know,” he started, tipping his head so his blond bangs parted over his forehead, “Doyoung, you’re nice and all, but I don’t really know if this is gonna work out.”

Doyoung tried to be unhappy, tried to be sensitive. He really, really did. He hated making a bad impression, but god, he was so glad that Jungwoo said it first. He couldn’t help himself from letting out a sigh, flashing a small smile.

“Honestly? Me too,” Doyoung replied, and the laugh Jungwoo let out at that was contagious, a grin spreading over Doyoung’s face in return. Even though Jungwoo wasn’t his type, he really was cute. And he may not have made a good boyfriend, but maybe Jungwoo would be a good friend (because god knows Doyoung could use more than two, between Taeyong’s nagging that borders on parental and Ten’s questionable judgement). So when he stuck a hand out, offering an amicable, “Friends?” he was happy when Jungwoo took it.

When Doyoung found himself at the bar again then, later that night, he was in a significantly better mood than last time, feeling weightless and untethered after such a refreshingly failed date. The smile and raised brow Jaehyun gave him as he settled in at the bar was threatening it, though.

“I’m not here for you,” Doyoung said as Jaehyun meandered over to him, drying a glass with the same smile on his face. “The drinks are just cheap. And speaking of,” he pulled out a few bills, placing them neatly on the bar, “a bottle of peach soju, please.”

Jaehyun just grinned, shrugging and taking the bills from Doyoung, who pulled his hand back before their hands could touch. No way was Doyoung going to give this man any satisfaction. Thankfully, all Jaehyun said as he grabbed the bottle for Doyoung was a teasing, “No gin tonight?” which was easily brushed off with a huff.

It seemed, though, that Jaehyun was annoyingly persistent, as once Doyoung had taken his first drink of soju, Jaehyun was leaning against the bar in front of Doyoung.

“Another failed date tonight?” Jaehyun asked, resting his weight on his elbows. Doyoung furrowed his brow, affronted as he leaned back.

“No, not another failed date,” Doyoung replied bitterly, topping up his soju glass. “And even if I was on one, it’s none of your business. It’s not like we’re friends or anything.” He paused to knock back the drink, cringing a bit at the overly sweet flavour mixed with alcohol. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

Jaehyun let out a hiss, putting a hand over his heart. “Ouch, that’s cold,” he lamented, but his laugh while doing so gave his real emotions away. “I’m guessing you got my text then? You know, the one you didn’t reply to?”

Doyoung actually paused at that, stalling with his hand around the neck of the soju bottle. Shit, he’d forgotten about that. He’d been too ticked off about Jaehyun’s annoying winking emoji to reply, and once he’d deleted the notification, he’d simply forgotten about it. He couldn’t exactly admit that, though, so he pursed his lips, pouring himself another shot smoothly. “Yes, I did,” he replied after a beat, aiming for cool but likely coming out flustered.

Jaehyun hissed again, leaning back off the counter and shaking his head. “Wow, Doyoung,” he said slowly, “you really are cold.”

“I’m not  _ cold _ ,” Doyoung shot back, defensive. Who the hell was this guy, anyways? “I’m a normal guy trying out online dating who doesn’t feel the need to describe all of the details of my romantic life to a bartender. Doesn’t matter how charming or handsome you are, it doesn’t entitle you to details about my life.”

It was only when Doyoung saw the satisfied smile spreading over Jaehyun’s face that he realized what he’d said. He slid the shot glass and bottle a bit further away from him if only to try and distract himself from Jaehyun’s smile and his reply of, “You think I’m charming and handsome?”

Doyoung huffed as he pushed back from the bar, fluffing his hair back. Okay, no more drinking, especially not at this bar Jaehyun worked at. “Yes,” he admitted begrudgingly, moving to leave, “annoyingly so.”

He turned to leave the bar, sufficiently ticked off, when he felt a hand grabbing his wrist, and when he glanced back, Jaehyun was leaning over the bar, his hand latched onto Doyoung. “Wait,” he said, and he actually looked apologetic, not that strange composed amusement he’d worn on his face every other time Doyoung had seen him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to annoy you. I was just trying to…” He gestured with his other hand vaguely, leaning into the bar to keep a grip on Doyoung. “Flirt, I guess.”

Oh.  _ Oh.  _ So that’s what this was about. Doyoung had had his suspicions, if he was being honest, but hearing it so earnestly from Jaehyun’s own mouth was an entirely different beast. He slowly moved back towards the bar, Jaehyun’s grip on his wrist sliding off his wrist.

“Sorry,” Doyoung found himself saying, “I’m not… interested.”

As soon as Doyoung said it, he knew it was a lie, but he’d said it for a reason. Yes, Jaehyun was cute. Yes, Jaehyun was charming. But Doyoung had signed up for online dating for a reason. He was tired of dating this type of guy, cute and charming jockish guys who never seemed to know when to quit. He needed something different. He needed a  _ change _ . And Jaehyun? He wasn’t it.

Still, watching the flash of disappointment over Jaehyun’s face stung a bit. “Oh,” Jaehyun said, leaning back. “Well, sorry for bothering you, then.”

Doyoung swallowed down the words he wanted to say, every apology in the world to take his rejection back. “It’s fine,” he coughed out instead, “I wasn’t… bothered. It was flattering. Really.”

Jaehyun nodded slowly at that, seeming to take a moment to compose himself, before the smile was back on his face. “Well,” he continued, seeming back to normal already, “we can still talk right? You know… Be friendly, maybe.”

Doyoung bit his lip, the concept of being friends still not sitting right, but he owed Jaehyun this, at least. So he nodded, then, sitting back down at the bar. “Yeah,” he replied. “Friendly.”

* * *

“Doyouuung,” Ten’s voice filtered through the door, irritatingly loud and boisterous for half past eight on a Saturday morning. His fist pounded against the door, heavy enough that Doyoung was sure the neighbours heard it. “Come on, Doyoung, open the door, don’t you want to see me?”

Doyoung swung the door open, still half asleep and in his pyjamas. “No I do  _ not _ want to see you, you absolute asshole,” he spat, glaring at Ten as he let himself in. “No one wants to see anyone at eight thirty in the morning. What the hell are you doing up, anyways? Weren’t you out last night?”

“Didn’t sleep,” Ten said nonchalantly, kicking his shoes off at the door. “Forgot the subway was closed until six, so it took until seven to drop off Yangyang and Dejun. Couldn’t sleep since the sun was up, so I left Guanheng at my apartment and came to rescue you.” He made his way over to the kitchen, opening the cabinet and poking his head inside, having to rise up on his toes to do so. “You got any ramyun, by the way? I’m dying of hunger.”

“Good, perish,” Doyoung snapped back viciously, closing and locking the door. He moved back into the apartment, flopping onto the couch tiredly and rubbing his face. “It’s the price you have to pay for dating a college kid. And what the hell do you mean,  _ rescue me _ ?”

Ten huffed, shutting the cabinet and turning to hop up on the counter. “I  _ mean _ rescue you from your miserable love life,” he said sagely. “I’ve been tracking your activity on that dating app. You haven’t logged in for nearly two weeks, and you definitely don’t have a boyfriend. What gives?”

Doyoung sat up at that, staring at Ten incredulously. “What the hell?” he asked, voice just edging on shrill. “You’ve been tracking my activity? How the hell do you even do that?”

Ten waved a hand, kicking his legs. “I have my ways,” he said casually, and Doyoung threw his hands up in the air. “Anyways, Doyoung, stop being… Whatever you are, and get back out there. I thought you wanted to date! Have fun! Adventure!”

“I am!” Doyoung defended, voice now much too loud for half past eight. “I am having fun! I’m being adventurous! I’m just… Taking a break!”

Truthfully, Doyoung wasn’t taking a break. He felt bad, after that conversation with Jaehyun. Jaehyun was interested in him, clearly— that’s why he’d been flirting with Doyoung, obviously— and it felt dishonest for Doyoung to go running around right away with other guys right after he’d just had the really genuine displeasure of turning a nice guy like Jaehyun away.

So yeah, he was a bit miserable. He was kicking himself in the ass for his words now, the more he texted Jaehyun and realized that, when he wasn’t being an annoying flirt, Jaehyun was actually quite nice. But the misery wouldn’t last forever. All he was trying to do was take some time to pack away those feelings before he started dating again.

Ten scoffed, then, snapping Doyoung from his thoughts. “I believe that about as much as I believe that red is Yuta’s natural hair colour,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Come on, Doyoung, those dicks won’t ride themselves.”

Doyoung, very slowly, put a hand over his eyes and took a measured breath. It was much too early to deal with this. “Oh, fucking hell,” Doyoung said, standing up and hurrying to the bathroom. “I’m not talking about this. I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet.” 

Ten’s obnoxious, “You can’t run from me forever!” was the last thing he heard before he closed the door.

Doyoung heaved out a breath, closing his eyes and leaning against the door. Fuck Ten. Fuck Jaehyun. Fuck this stupid dating app and his stupid stubbornness that got him into this situation in the first place. If he’d just dated people like a normal person, he wouldn’t have to deal with this app, or Jaehyun, or Ten’s annoying, short self sitting on his kitchen counter at half past eight, for fuck’s sake.

He took a few minutes to cool off and put away his emotions (and brush his teeth, of course, he hadn’t lied about that) before he re-emerged into the living area. When he did, he found Ten, happily typing away on Doyoung’s own laptop, and Doyoung nearly walked right back into the bathroom. However, the absolute horror of Ten somehow having access to his password protected laptop stunned him, and all he could let out was a choked noise.

Ten, the devil himself, looked up with a smile. “Oh good, you’re back,” he said jovially, as if he wasn’t royally messing with Doyoung’s life. “You have a date on the eighteenth at nine. Some guy named Lucas?” He tipped his head to the side, smiling at the screen. “A bit young, but god, is he ever good-looking,” he added.

Doyoung sputtered, his brain short circuiting. There were so many things he wanted to yell at Ten about, but all that came out was, “How the  _ hell _ did you log into my laptop?”

Ten let out a scoff, shaking his head at Doyoung, as if he was in on some joke that Doyoung was too slow to catch up on. “Come on, Doyoung,” he said slowly, grinning, “EricBenet2019 isn’t exactly a strong password.”

* * *

**to: nuisance**

call me

ten call me right now

you fucking asshole

**from: nuisance**

sry cant hear u over my hot bf

o wait ur on that date rn ya? hows it goin

**to: nuisance**

he’s a fucking college kid

ten how the fuck did you set me up with a college kid

he thinks a movie is a good idea of a date

a movie?????? who does that????

**from: nuisance**

hey dont diss college kids

fresh meat tastes better ;)))

also get off ur phone if ur in the theatre

dont be that asshole who texts in a movie

**to: nuisance**

i’m literally blocking ur number

**from: nuisance**

love u too, bunny <3 <3

* * *

Nearly four hours later found Doyoung at the same bar as usual, sitting on a seat across from Jaehyun, too many bottles of soju deep to count. The date with Lucas had dragged on, wearing Doyoung’s patience to nearly its wits end— he’d been sweet, sure, and definitely not hard on the eyes, but his youthful personality and high energy had made Doyoung feel like he was babysitting a golden retriever, rather than on a date. Coming to the bar had been a relief, not just because he was able to drink the stressful night away, but because Jaehyun was there, as always, his usual charming self ready to lend an ear.

“So in conclusion,” Doyoung slurred, gesticulating wildly over the bar at Jaehyun, “I have the worst friends, the worst date, and the worst love life. All together. One person, all this  _ bullshit _ ,” he said the word with such vitriol, glaring down at his shot glass, “and it’s only like. Fuck, what time is it. Midnight?”

“It’s actually quarter to two,” Jaehyun said, resting his head on his hand as he looked at Doyoung. Doyoung, not for the first time, was struck for a moment by just how cute Jaehyun was. He definitely deserved the moniker of Cute Bartender in Doyoung’s phone. 

Doyoung blinked at Jaehyun hazily, drunken mind taking a few moments to process that. “Wait. Shit. Really?” he asked, then blinked a few more times when Jaehyun nodded. “God. Uh. I gotta get home, huh?”

He slid off the barstool, and it was only then that he realized how much he’d had to drink, the floor seeming to tilt right out from underneath him. He caught himself, thankfully, saving himself from making an embarrassment out of himself (as if his drunken rambling to Jaehyun hadn’t sufficiently done the job), but when Doyoung looked up, Jaehyun was watching him, clearly concerned. His eyebrows were furrowed, he was leaned over the bar slightly, and— wow, Doyoung wasn’t sure if he was drunk or what, but Jaehyun’s dark eyes seemed to pierce right through him.

“Are you okay?” Jaehyun asked, and it took Doyoung a few moments to gather his wits about him enough to shake his head. When he did, he instantly regretted it— the world spun again, and he leaned himself on the back of the chair to brace himself.

“No,” Doyoung managed, voice small and pathetic. He hiccuped a bit, running a hand through his hair carelessly. “I’m really— I’m drunk, Jaehyun.”

It seemed like Doyoung had barely blinked, but all of a sudden, Jaehyun was next to him, having moved around the bar and ditched his apron. His hand rested on Doyoung’s waist, and when Doyoung looked up he was startled by how close Jaehyun’s face was to his. It occurred to him then— he’d never seen Jaehyun anywhere other than behind the bar, a solid barrier keeping them apart. Now that was gone, and something about it felt electric. It was dangerous, heady, to be close to Jaehyun like this, and Doyoung felt himself drawn even closer.

Jaehyun’s voice when he spoke was soft, his breath moving over the skin of Doyoung’s shoulder as he shifted his weight so Doyoung could lean against him. “Okay,” he murmured, propping Doyoung up against him. “Okay, that’s fine, I’ll take you home.”

By the time Doyoung was able to formulate a response, him and Jaehyun were already nearly at the door. “But you’re working,” he protested weakly, struggling a bit, but his limbs were heavy and Jaehyun’s grip was tight. 

“I finish at two,” Jaehyun replied easily, using his heel to wedge the door open and herding Doyoung onto the sidewalk. “I’m sure my boss won’t kill me if I leave two minutes early.”

It was only a few minutes later that Jaehyun was herding him into a cab, and once they were both inside, Doyoung’s address relayed to the driver, Doyoung slumped in his seat. “Well, fuck,” he muttered, rubbing his face. “I had a stupid date, set up by my stupid friend, now I’m stupid drunk in a cab with some stupidly cute bartender. What kind of a life, huh?”

Jaehyun let out a chuckle, adjusting himself in the seat so he could face Doyoung. When the car made a turn, he shifted again, keeping Doyoung up as he listed to the side. “Can you ever give anyone a direct compliment?” he asked, sounding more amused than anything.

“Never,” Doyoung enunciated, turning his head so he could rest it against Jaehyun’s shoulder. He sighed, comfortable— Jaehyun was warm, sturdy, and surprisingly didn’t smell like alcohol considering he worked as a bartender. It was nice, to have someone like this. Someone who could look after Doyoung, someone who could handle all of his snark and sass and not be intimidated or put off by it. “I’m  _ prickly _ . I don’t do compliments.”

Jaehyun laughed, quiet and gentle, one of his hands coming to rest on Doyoung’s hip. “I think you’re just fine,” he said, and Doyoung just hummed, closing his eyes. 

When Doyoung opened his eyes, they were in front of his and Taeyong’s apartment building, and Jaehyun was opening his wallet to pay for the cab. “No,” Doyoung was saying, before he could even get his eyes fully open, waving one of his hands while he reached for his own wallet with the other. He may be drunk, sure, but he at least knew that this wasn’t something Jaehyun should pay for. “No, Jaehyun, I—”

“Doyoung, come on, it’s fine,” Jaehyun replied, trying to catch Doyoung’s wrist with his free hand to stop him from paying. “Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it.”

“But Jaehyun—”

“ _ Doyoung _ ,” Jaehyun said, and it was only then that Doyoung paused, eyes wide and cheeks heating up. “Don’t worry. I’ve got it.”

He put his wallet away.

It wasn’t until Jaehyun was taking Doyoung by the hand, easing him out of the car, that he snapped out of his daze, trying to get his brain in order so he could get out of the car and inside the apartment. “Come on,” Jaehyun was saying, soft, easy, nonchalant, and painfully oblivious to the crisis Doyoung was having. “Come on, hyung, let’s get you inside.” 

It was a hassle to get Doyoung inside— thank god his building had an elevator, but the front steps alone were a nightmare— and he actually, genuinely started feeling bad the longer it took for him to get to his apartment. Once they got to his door, fumbling to find his keys, Doyoung finally spoke again.

“Jaehyun, I’m fine,” he assured, as Jaehyun reached out, gently taking the keys from him. “You really don’t have to, come on.”

“It’s fine,” Jaehyun said immediately, not an ounce of hesitation. When he looked up and smiled at Doyoung, cheeks dimpling, Doyoung felt his heart skip a beat. “We’re friends, now. I don’t mind.”

_ Friends. _ Something about that word sat wrong in Doyoung’s chest, stirring him up and putting things out of place. They weren’t friends, him and Jaehyun. They weren’t. They were… Something else, something that Doyoung didn’t know how to put his finger on.

“We aren’t friends,” Doyoung told him as such, watching as Jaehyun put the key in the lock, hands stable and certain and so unlike Doyoung’s wavering heart. So when Jaehyun looked up, handsome and charming, and asked, “Then what are we?” something in Doyoung fell apart.

Kissing Jaehyun wasn’t groundbreaking. It wasn’t fireworks, or sparks, or any sort of explosive feeling. Instead, it felt like letting out a breath he’d been holding for too long, like loosening his tie after a long day. It felt like settling into the bottom of a warm pool, comfort running from head to toe, and Doyoung let himself get caught in the tide.

Until it was over, and Jaehyun was pulling away, cheeks flushed and eyes wide, and Doyoung realized he’d done exactly what he’d told himself he wasn’t going to do. Fall for the charming, handsome guy, the flirt, the usual type that Doyoung always felt so unsatisfied with.

(But this wasn’t unsatisfaction. This was safety and comfort and familiarity even though Doyoung hardly knew Jaehyun, had only been talking to him for barely a month. But that wasn’t what Doyoung thought he wanted, so he squashed that feeling down.)

The lock to his apartment door was clicking shut before he even realized that he was inside, Jaehyun’s voice muffled through the wood.

* * *

**from: cute bartender (jaehyun)**

Hey, just wanna make sure you’re feeling okay after last night. Can you message me when you see this?

Hey, I haven’t heard from you yet. Just wanted to check in.

Hey, please let me know if you see this.

We don’t have to talk about it, if you don’t want to. We can forget about it. It’s fine.

Please text me when you get this.

Doyoung?

* * *

**to: jaehyun**

how much do i owe you for the cab?

**from: jaehyun**

Don’t worry about it, it wasn’t that expensive.

**to: jaehyun**

jaehyun. please

**from: jaehyun**

Fine, I’ll check and let you know in a bit.

* * *

It takes about a week before Doyoung felt like things were starting to get themselves back in order.

Sure, things with Jaehyun were still a bit awkward. He’d thought that he could ignore Jaehyun forever, just ignore his texts and delete his number and never set foot back in that bar again. But Jaehyun had been persistent, annoyingly so, until Doyoung finally broke and texted him back, three days after Doyoung had locked him out of his apartment. (He refuses to think of what happened before that. He wasn’t going to let himself dwell on it.) Things were still a bit frosty between them, but honestly, Doyoung had hardly expected Jaehyun to even text him at all, so it was better than nothing.

The guilt was still nagging at Doyoung, though, but it wasn’t like he could exactly apologize for what he did to Jaehyun. So what better thing was there to do than bury his guilt by setting up a new date?

“Ooh,” Taeyong drawled, leaning over the back of the couch to look at Doyoung’s laptop screen. Doyoung jumped, not having realized that Taeyong was there, and slammed his laptop shut. Stupid nosy roommate. “Who’s Johnny? Is he American?”

“For your information, yes, he is American,” Doyoung grumbled, slowly opening his laptop up. He inspected the screen carefully, trying to make sure he hadn’t damaged it with from the force of him shutting it. “And he’s someone from the app. Someone I picked, for myself, at my own pace, completely unrelated to Ten.”

Taeyong laughed at that, sliding over the back of the couch to flop on it next to Doyoung. His head butted against Doyoung’s thigh as he stretched, cat-like, and Doyoung’s hand moved to his hair immediately. “Well, that’s good, then,” he replied, blinking up at Doyoung. “Look at you, being active with your love life. Maybe this one will work out better than the others.”

Instead of Lucas, or Jungwoo, or Ten, the image conjured in his mind at Taeyong’s words was none other than Jaehyun, despite the fact that the two of them had never actually gone on a date. Doyoung pushed that thought away, swallowing around the lump in his throat.

“Yep,” he managed, a beat too late. If Taeyong noticed, he didn’t say anything. “Hopefully.”

* * *

For the first time since Doyoung started using this dating app, he left a date with no complaints.

Johnny was perfect. Actually, exactly perfect. He was everything Doyoung had been looking for. He was kind, caring, charming, funny, could keep up with Doyoung’s sarcasm but also had a soft streak a mile long. He was tall, broad, and handsome, but not distractly so, and didn’t have an ego about it either. He’d made the arrangements for the date, picked Doyoung up to take him to the restaurant,  _ and _ hadn’t made a fuss about splitting the bill. And he  _ drove _ . What kind of gay guy drove anyway?

Of course, the date went great. The date went fantastic. But the entire time, Doyoung’s heart hadn’t been in it.

He’d tried, really, to give it a shot. But the entire time he was out with Johnny, his mind was on Jaehyun. It was as if his mind was a film reel, playing everything interaction with Jaehyun in his head. The first time they met, when Jaehyun was just Cute Bartender, with the dimpled smile and the nice ass as he slipped Doyoung a receipt with his phone number on it. Jaehyun’s face as Doyoung turned away his advances, his composure and respect of Doyoung’s wishes, his charms and mannerliness even when faced with Doyoung’s prickly nature. Jaehyun’s stupid way of texting, perfect smelling and grammar and with his sincere, unsarcastic smiley faces.

Jaehyun’s lips on his, warm even though Doyoung’s face was flushed with alcohol, his hand broad on Doyoung’s waist and searing his skin.

When Johnny leaned in outside the restaurant, keys in one hand and the other on the passenger side door of his car, Doyoung didn’t have a problem stepping away.

“I’m sorry,” Doyoung said, looking at Johnny. To his credit, Johnny didn’t look surprised— resigned was more like it, as if he’d seen this coming. “Johnny, you’re great, but…”

“It’s okay,” Johnny jumped in as Doyoung trailed off. He was smiling, still, and it reached his eyes. Doyoung could tell he wasn’t really offended, and as guilty as he felt for giving such a blatantly disinterested expression, he was glad that Johnny seemed to be taking it alright. “I figured you weren’t into it, I just wanted to try.”

“It’s nothing about you, if that makes you feel any better,” Doyoung hurried to add, waving his hands a bit as if to clear the air. “Really. It’s not. I’m just—”

“Doyoung, you really don’t need to give me the ‘it’s not me, it’s you’ speech,” Johnny cut him off with a laugh. Even while getting turned down, Johnny was still bright, funny, keeping the mood up. Doyoung knew he’d have no problem finding someone after this. “My pride isn’t bruised that easily. Besides, I had a good time talking to you, even if a relationship isn’t coming out of it.”

For the first time in a while, Doyoung felt a weight lift off his chest. This was good. He’d made a good decision. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re an amazing guy,” he said, shrugging as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Maybe not right for me right now, but you really are great. I know you’ll find someone soon.”

Johnny laughed at that, genuine and full, as he unlocked his car. “Good things come to those who wait, as they say,” he replied, grinning even wider as Doyoung chuckled in response. He opened the passenger door of his car, tipping his head towards it. “I can still give you a ride home if you need it, by the way,” he added, and Doyoung nearly swooned. How this guy was single and using some dating app was beyond him.

“Nah,” Doyoung answered, shaking his head. He checked his watch— he still had a decent amount of time to get to where he needed to go. “I’ve got somewhere to be.”

Johnny just shrugged, closing the door again. “Just figured I’d offer,” he replied, flashing Doyoung another smile. “Well… Thanks for a good evening anyways, Doyoung.”

Doyoung smiled back at Johnny, fond. Maybe their paths would cross again someday, or maybe when Doyoung sorted himself out, they could be friends. But for now, Doyoung gave him a wave, told him, “Thank you too, Johnny,” and headed to the only place he needed to be.

* * *

Jaehyun, across the bar from him, looked tired. He was smiling at Doyoung still— because of course he would, ever the gentleman— but it didn’t quite make it to his eyes today. He looked burdened, weighed down as he tried to hold a conversation with Doyoung. And Doyoung may deny his emotions with a frequency that was probably unhealthy, but he wasn’t stupid; he knew he was the reason that Jaehyun looked like this.

“So,” Jaehyun began, puttering about at the bar. It wasn’t something he’d done for a while, usually content to lean against the bar and watch Doyoung as he spoke, so Doyoung got the feeling that he was just washing and drying glasses to have something to do with his hands. “Anything exciting happen recently? Any dates to tell me about?”

It was bitter, just slightly, that much Doyoung could tell. But he couldn’t keep the smile off his face, not with what he was about to do, so he looked down into his glass (just a beer today, he wasn’t risking it with anything stronger) and said, “Actually, I’m looking for one.”

Jaehyun’s hands paused, and Doyoung felt a tinge of nerves trickle into his chest. For a second, just a second, he doubted himself. Maybe this was a bad idea, coming to the bar was a bad idea, trying to turn the tables on Jaehyun like this after turning him down for such a stupid, stubborn reason was a terrible idea. He thought it would be fine, thought he could bank on Jaehyun’s kindness to keep this in his favour, but now he wasn’t so sure. It was too late now, though, impossible to back out, so Doyoung tried to keep his best poker face on— although if a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, Doyoung couldn’t help it.

“Oh, yeah?” Jaehyun asked, and Doyoung looked up when he realized Jaehyun sounded genuinely curious. The hope in his eyes was unmistakable, and Doyoung had to purse his lips to keep himself from grinning. Okay, maybe this wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe this was a really, really good idea. “Not looking online this time?”

“No,” Doyoung drawled, swirling his beer around a bit as he looked at Jaehyun, watching his expression clear as Doyoung spoke. “I don’t really know if online dating is for me…. I think I like meeting people in person better, you know? Getting to talk to them, have drinks, get to know each other and hang out…”

As the realization started spreading over Jaehyun’s face, and his grin widened, Doyoung felt his heart rate pick up, butterflies fluttering in his stomach.  _ This _ was what he’d been missing— the intrigue, the interest, the genuine excitement he got from talking with Jaehyun hadn’t been there with any of his other dates, and god, he was so stupid for not realizing that sooner. “That so,” Jaehyun said, and it was just on the edge of smug that let Doyoung know he knew exactly what Doyoung was talking about. “Well, did you meet anyone interesting recently? At a bar, maybe?”

Doyoung just grinned, then, shaking his head. “Jaehyun,” he said softly, “please don’t make me say it.”

Jaehyun laughed, then, dimpled and charming. Doyoung’s heart felt so full. 

“Hey, you know what?” Jaehyun began, and Doyoung quirked an eyebrow, watching curiously as Jaehyun wiped his hands on his apron before untying it. “I actually know a really good bar not far from here.”

Doyoung tilted his head, grinning. “Oh, do you now,” he drawled.

“Uh huh,” Jaehyun responded, looking at his watch. “I’ll meet you there in maybe… five seconds?”

Doyoung blinked at that. Five seconds? Did he hear wrong? “What do you mean, five— oh,” he began, but cut himself off when Jaehyun walked around the bar, stopping right in front of him. 

“Sorry, I think that was six seconds,” he joked, and Doyoung rolled his eyes. “Ready to go?”

Doyoung just huffed, sliding off the bar stool. “Just kiss me already, you idiot,” he mumbled.

Jaehyun met him halfway.

* * *

**to: best friend**

hey ty i have a really really huge favour

which i will love you forever if you do

can you please go to yuta’s tonight

**from: best friend**

i’m already there !

tell jaehyun i say hi hehehe

**to: best friend**

when he stops kissing me i will

**from: best friend**

ahhhhhh young love !

**Author's Note:**

> now that this is revealed, you can find me on twitter [here!](https://www.twitter.com/nappeuns_)
> 
> ahhhh it's over! i am so glad i made it through to the end of this enrara as it nearly killed me ahaha
> 
> to the mods: thank you for running such an absolutely wonderful fest. i'm so grateful for all of the hard work you have put in, not only last year, but this year as well! enrara is such a fun thing to be a part of and truly makes my summer! thank you for not blocking me or kicking me out despite my usual immense lateness. y'all are the best!
> 
> to my love m, thank you for letting me dump the entire plot of this fic out into your twitter dms when i was stuck. there is no way i could have made it through without your support. you're always the biggest champion of my writing and i owe me completing this fic to you.
> 
> to n, my best friend, thank you for always being the one to drag me back into dojae whenever i think my love for them is fading. you're the best writing buddy and the best friend i could ask for. i can't wait to see all of the amazing things you'll write in the future.
> 
> and to you, the reader, thank you so much for reading. i hope you enjoyed this fic, as ridiculous as it may be, and i hope all of the fics in enrara 2019 make your summer just a bit brighter~


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